Like a word stuck on the tip of your tongue that you can't quite remember, fairy tales aggravate us with deeper meanings we're almost certain we know, but can’t quite recall. For just enough of the old fairy faiths survive within them to tantalize us with their forgotten mysteries; teasing us with a hidden past filled with dark guardians to the underworld, bright and beautiful fairies, and long winters nights people feared would never end. There is still a mysterious heart to fairy tales, giving us a peek into a primal world, beckoning us to recall old traditions. This book will seek to explore these old traditions, to answer questions about the hidden origins of fairy tales. “From Celtic Fairies to Romanian Vampires,” this book will take you on a journey to understand fairy tales which are likely far stranger and more beautiful than you ever imagined.

Where do children travel when they read a story? In this collection, scholars and authors explore the imaginative geography of a wide range of places, from those of Indigenous myth to the fantasy worlds of Middle-earth, Earthsea, or Pacificus, from the semi-fantastic Wild Wood to real-world places like Canada’s North, Chicago’s World Fair, or the modern urban garden. What happens to young protagonists who explore new worlds, whether fantastic or realistic? What happens when Old World and New World myths collide? How do Indigenous myth and sense of place figure in books for the young? How do environmental or post-colonial concerns, history, memory, or even the unconscious affect an author's creation of place? How are steampunk and science fiction mythically re-enchanting for children? Imaginative geography means imaged earth writing: it creates what readers see when they enter the world of fiction. Exploring diverse genres for children, including picture books, fantasy, steampunk, and realistic novels as well as plays from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ireland from the early nineteenth century to the present, Children’s Literature and Imaginative Geography provides new geographical perspectives on children’s literature.

Unveil the Timeless Magic of Nigeria’s Rich Folklore Step into a world where cunning tricksters outwit their foes, where the sun and moon once walked among us, and where spirits and animals teach lessons that resonate through time. Folk Tales from Nigeria: Timeless Tales of Trickery, Wisdom, and the Supernatural from African Folklore is a captivating collection of Nigeria's most cherished folk tales, brought together in a beautifully crafted volume that honors the vibrant storytelling traditions of Africa. In this first volume of Folk Tales from Nigeria, readers of all ages will be enchanted by the adventures of characters like the clever Tortoise who deceives the birds, the brave girl who marries a ghost, and the wise Crab who survives against all odds. These stories, steeped in the cultural richness of Nigeria, offer profound lessons and insights that have been passed down through generations. A Treasure Trove of African Wisdom More than just stories, these folk tales are the distilled essence of Nigerian culture, brimming with timeless knowledge and profound teachings. They are a pleasure to read, filled with universal themes of wisdom, trickery, and the supernatural. Perfect for readers of all ages, these tales serve as a bridge to understanding the values, beliefs, and traditions of Nigeria. At the heart of this collection is a mission to preserve the invaluable cultural inheritance that these stories represent. Folk tales are the foundation of human storytelling, offering a unique window into the soul of a culture. Understanding a culture is best done through the stories it tells, and in this volume, you’ll discover a rich tapestry of Nigerian tradition, ready to be cherished and passed down to future generations. A Must-Have for Any Library or Bookshelf We envision this collection as a treasure that any library or bookshelf can hold and pass on to future generations—so they too can be inspired by the teachings and wisdom of Nigeria’s ancestral stories. Whether you’re a lover of African folklore, a seeker of wisdom, or a parent wanting to introduce your children to the wonders of storytelling, this book is an essential addition to your collection. Key Features: Timeless African Folklore: Immerse yourself in the rich and diverse folklore of Nigeria, with stories that have been cherished and passed down through generations, capturing the essence of the country’s cultural heritage. Perfect for All Ages: With stories that are as entertaining as they are educational, this collection is suitable for readers young and old, offering something for everyone to enjoy. Cultural Insight: Gain a deeper understanding of Nigerian culture and values through interpretations and analyses of the folk tales that have shaped the nation’s identity and continue to influence its people today. Beautifully Crafted: Designed to be a timeless keepsake, this book is a treasure that will enhance any personal library or bookshelf, making it a valuable part of your literary collection. Folk Tales from Nigeria is more than just a book; it’s a journey into the heart of African culture, a celebration of the art of storytelling, and a preservation of a priceless cultural heritage. Add this volume to your collection today and become a part of the timeless tradition of folk tales that continue to inspire, educate, and connect us to the wisdom of our ancestors.

A fascinating survey of the entire history of tall tales, folklore, and mythology in the United States from earliest times to the present, including stories and myths from the modern era that have become an essential part of contemporary popular culture. Folklore has been a part of American culture for as long as humans have inhabited North America, and increasingly formed an intrinsic part of American culture as diverse peoples from Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania arrived. In modern times, folklore and tall tales experienced a rejuvenation with the emergence of urban legends and the growing popularity of science fiction and conspiracy theories, with mass media such as comic books, television, and films contributing to the retelling of old myths. This multi-volume encyclopedia will teach readers the central myths and legends that have formed American culture since its earliest years of settlement. Its entries provide a fascinating glimpse into the collective American imagination over the past 400 years through the stories that have shaped it. Organized alphabetically, the coverage includes Native American creation myths, "tall tales" like George Washington chopping down his father's cherry tree and the adventures of "King of the Wild Frontier" Davy Crockett, through to today's "urban myths." Each entry explains the myth or legend and its importance and provides detailed information about the people and events involved. Each entry also includes a short bibliography that will direct students or interested general readers toward other sources for further investigation. Special attention is paid to African American folklore, Asian American folklore, and the folklore of other traditions that are often overlooked or marginalized in other studies of the topic.

This study of an oral tradition in northeast India is the first of its kind in this part of the eastern Himalayas. A comparative analysis reveals parallel stories in an area stretching from central Arunachal Pradesh into upland Southeast Asia and southwest China. The subject of the volume, the Apatanis, are a small population of Tibeto-Burman speakers who live in a narrow valley halfway between Tibet and Assam. Their origin myths, migration legends, oral histories, trickster tales and ritual chants, as well as performance contexts and genre system, reveal key cultural ideas and social practices, shifts in tribal identity and the reinvention of religion.

Hailed by Dr. Andrew Weil as a book “that must be brought to all who seek true health,” Coyote Medicine is an engaging and essential testament to the power of alternative healing and recovery methods that lie beyond the confines of Western medicine. Inspired by his Cherokee grandmother's healing ceremonies, Lewis Mehl-Madrona enlightens readers to "alternative" paths to recovery and health. Coyote Medicine isn't about eschewing Western medicine when it's effective, but about finding other answers when medicine fails: for chronic sufferers, patients not responding to medication, or "terminal" cases that doctors have given up on. In the story of one doctor's remarkable initiation into alternative ways to spiritual and physical health, Coyote Medicine provides the key to untapped healing methods available today.

The author examines the impact of colonialism and the cash economy on the Nandi, a semi-pastoral and patrilineal people of western Kenya, emphasizing changes in women's and men's economic roles and their respective relations to property and to each other. Since the sex roles associated with production and property relations are linked to sex roles in other areas - in the marriage system, husband-wife relations, kinship, cultural ideals of male and female, ritual relations, participation in community affairs - these areas are also analyzed. The author asks whether the changes in Nandi society have been favorable or unfavorable to women. Has their economic position improved or declined as a result of colonialism and socioeconomic change? Has sexual stratification increased or decreased? How have different categories of women - wives, widows, never-married women, participants in woman-woman marriages - been differently affected by changed circumstances? Although most of the book is ethnographic in nature, providing a detailed account of Nandi inter-gender roles in the context of economic history and at the processes that have induced changes in the respective roles of men and women.

Touching the great mystery, the wisdom of the creatures, the power in the green stalk, crying for a vision.

This book examines magic's generally maleficent effect on humans from ancient Egypt through the Middle Ages, including tales from classical mythology, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim cultures. It shows that certain magical motifs lived on from age to age, but that it took until the Italian Renaissance for magic tales to become fairy tales.